august-2009

With the Sinai desert right on its doorstep, the
invigorating tension between tradition and
tourism, and scores of stunning snorkelling
sites within its crystal-clear waters, the Red
Sea Riviera makes a fi rst-rate second home.
YOUR NEW ADDRESS
Sinai Golf Heights
Only 25 minutes from
Na’ama Bay, this resort
is located on a 1.3m sq m
plot with sea and mountain
views. The main draw is
the professional 18-hole
golf course surrounding
the property, but it’s only
a 1km walk to the City Stars
YOUR CONTACTS
BANKS
The banks here are open
from 9am-1pm, then they
reopen from 6pm-9pm.
Generally you’ll find their
exchange rates more
favourable than those
in your hotel. HSBC has
a branch in Na’ama Bay and
there are plenty of money
exchanges and ATMs scattered
throughout the resort,
all of which accept Visa and
MasterCard. You can also
use sterling in some places.
BEACHES
With long swathes of sandy
white beaches, including the
16km stretch that runs
between Sharm el Sheikh
shopping mall. There’s
a wide range of living
options, from one- and
two-bedroom apartments
through to stand-alone
villas with their own pools.
Prices start from £25,000
for a studio. Uncover
Egypt. Tel: 0800 980 2316,
www.sinaigolfheights.com
and Ras Nusrani, this is the
perfect location for a beach
holiday. The best ones are
found in the tourist hub of
Na’ama Bay, the only place
where swimmers can walk
straight from the beach into
the sea.
CULTURE
Away from the beaches
there are plenty of cultural
attractions, including the old
town of Sharm el Maya and
Bedouin tours in the des-
sert. Go to www.isango.com
for ideas. It is also possible
to arrange day trips to Cairo
and the striking Coloured
Canyon. Visit www.sharmel-sheikh.com
for details of
local tour companies.
DIVING
Sharm el Sheikh is known as
the Red Sea Riviera and
boasts some of the finest
dive sites in the world as
well as some great snorkelling
for the less experienced
around the shoreline coral
reefs. The sea is crystal
clear and calm all year
round, with 250 reefs and
around 1,000 species of fi sh
inhabiting the local waters.
Nearly all the hotels in the
resort have instructors and
courses on offer, and night
dives are available. Ras
Mohammed National Park
and the Strait of Tiran boast
the best diving in the area
and there are plenty of
holidays to choose from.
Visit www.diving-world.com
for more details.
GOLF
Sharm el Sheikh has an
18-hole championship golf
course, which is 7km from
Na’ama Bay. Jolie Ville Golf
& Resort (www.jolievillehotels.com)
has a driving
range and par-three course
for practice, and the main
course runs for 6,021m with
18 lakes. There are also
weekly golf tournaments
and golf schools held here.
HOSPITALS
Nearly all of the resort’s
hotels have a doctor and
there are also plenty of
pharmacists around who
would be your fi rst port of
call in case of minor injury.
The main hospital is the
Sharm el Sheikh International
Hospital, which is located on
the El Nour District Road
(tel: +20 069 366 0893).
However, for serious complaints
you will fi nd yourself
transferred to Cairo.
NIGHTLIFE
Once the sun goes down
you’ll discover an array of
late-night shops, cafes, bars
and restaurants to choose
from – most are located
along the road which runs
parallel to the beach. With
Vegas-style entertainment
that includes floorshows,
live music, a choice of six
casinos, two waterparks,
go-karting and a couple of
ice-skating rinks, the heart
of the action is in Na’ama
Bay. Popular venues include
Camel Bar (tel: +20 69 360
0700), Pirates’ Bar (tel: +20
69 360 0137) and Little
Buddha (tel: +20 69 360
1030). For hardcore clubbing
try the world-renowned
HIGH FLYERS
AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2009
Pacha (www.pachasharm.
com). Among the neon signs
you can enjoy a fl avour of
traditional Egypt thanks to
a number of Bedouin-style
cafes with authentic rugs,
cushions and shisha pipes.
RESTAURANTS
Most of the hotels offer
a blend of Egyptian and
Western-style food and
a water-side grill where you
can sample some of the
freshly caught fish of the
day. Down in Na’ama Bay
you’ll also fi nd an array of
Italian, Chinese, Lebanese
and Egyptian restaurants,
while Little Buddha offers
some fantastic Japanese
food. For an authentic cheap
eat, head for the Old Market,
where you can taste some
delicious local produce – try
Safsafa Restaurant (tel: +20
069 366 0474) or Sinai Star
(tel: +20 069 366 0323) for
some superior seafood.
Fast-food junkies will be
pleased to note that the
ubiquitous McDonald’s and
KFC have a presence here.
SCHOOLS
There are two international
schools in Sharm el Sheikh:
El Gouna International
School (www.elgounaschool.
com), which takes children
aged between 3 and 18, and
St Joseph’s International
School (www.sjissharm.
com), which teaches an
American curriculum
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